Middle-Age Knocks Poem by C Richard Miles

First middle-age came tapping at my door
When, in the morning, there might be an ache
Or niggling pain, where one had never been
After over-exertion of the night before
When, arrogant, I chose to think
That youth was still mine to explore.

Then middle-age came knocking on my door
Still hesitantly, with that blood test result
That murmured of obscure anomalies
In levels of triglycerides, cholesterol
And more, so that I had to think
And make a change in diet to control.

But middle-age came rapping at my door
Much louder now with clarion calls
Of blood pressure and diabetes threats
That even food restriction cannot beat
So, thus oppressed. I had to think
That medication seemed to be the easy street..

Yet, middle-age comes hammering at my door
And speaks more sinister than ever now
Of arthritis, failing memory and worse
When weakened bladder screams beware
But, worse, I still daren’t try to think
What I shall do when I see that first snow-white hair.